The-turtle-of-Darwin-Teatre-Eolia-t2425-photo-by-Sara-Vernedas

EÓLIA EMERGING SCENE 2024

Author: Juan Mayorga
Direction: Michael Salamanca

An old history teacher receives an unexpected visit from an endearing old woman who calls herself Harriet. The newcomer will turn out to be the turtle that Charles Darwin he was taken from the Galápagos in 1835, and that after having witnessed some of the most important events in the history of Europe, he wants to return to his native island in order to die in peace. The professor will fight with a series of characters such as Beti and a sinister doctor in order to get Harriet's testimony exclusively, as everyone will see in the turtle an opportunity to get rich and climb socially.

Darwin's Tortoise is a work about the human condition. What does it really mean to be human? How does this compare to nature? The piece also raises our relationship with history seen from the prism of modernity. Why does this tend to repeat itself? What interests are behind all this? Is humanity progressing?

A humanist tragicomedy, a fable about the importance of change and the need to evolve.

Direction note

EThe text that I am performing on this occasion was written in 2007 following the approval of the historical memory law by the government of José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero. A year later, the leader of the opposition Mariano Rajoy he declared that he would "remove all the articles of the law that promote the use of public money for the recovery of the past". It was not until the recent October 19, 2022 that the law now called “law of democratic memory” was definitely applied by the government of Pedro Sánchez although in doubtful compliance (with the votes against PP, Vox, Ciutadans, Junts and the CUP). It is in this turbulent context that the words of Harriet take on even more value: people kill themselves for the past, and I have plenty of that and it is that at a time when the Fake News are the order of the day and companies, governments and religions compete to gain control of the big stories, we must remember that the only way to build a collective memory is to erect it on the pillars of the victims and the marginalized, since not doing so would mean condemning them to a second death. So, today more than ever I claim that leveryone's story, and not only from those who write it for convenience.

Miquel Salamanca Jimenez

From the 5 8 December

Thursday and Friday at 20pm, Saturday at 17pm and 20pm.
Sunday at 18 p.m.

Language: Catalan
duration: 75 min
Age: Starting at 12 years

Author: Juan Mayorga
Direction: Michael Salamanca
Performers:  Yasmín Burtín, Jordi Reñé, Rosa Nicolás, Àngel Cerdanya The Swede

Management Assistant: Imai Adalid
Dramaturgy of the projections: Michael Salamanca
Clothing and characterization:  Ana Hairstyle
Sound space: Imai Adalid
Lighting design: Imai Adalid and Miquel Salamanca
Poster and photograph: Sarah Vernedas

A production ofAeolian Emerging Scene 2024